Part 1
A
I enrolled in this class because I want to gain a deeper understanding of religion and develop knowledge of magic. I believe religion plays a crucial role in the society of uniting members. Religion also is one of the determinants of how people interact and react to situations. I believe that understanding religion will help me get a closer relationship with my maker and people that I interact with. Moreover I joined the class because I want to learn about magic. Magic intrigues me and I want to learn about its history and why sometimes magic is more believable than science and religion.
B
I have taken a religious course before where I got to learn about the history of religion. In Religious studies 70-01, we were introduced to concepts of religion. We learnt about the development of religion and its influence on the world.
C
My perception about religion is that it is important to believe in a superior power since some occurrences such as where the soul goes after death cannot be explained through science. I also believe that all religions are equal and so it does not matter which religion individuals prescribe to. Religion provides a platform for unity. Moreover, religion shapes morals and values in people. I find that the doctrine of religion is in many ways similar in all religions. All religions teach that there is a supreme being who created the earth and all that is in it. Therefore, since many of the lessons offered by religion are similar, religion is a tool for unity in the society.
Part 2
One of the interesting things that I have heard from the lecture is that all humans have the same origin and it is possible that all humanity descended from 1000 individuals from Africa (Wade). We live in a world where people discriminate each other based on religion, race and other factors and it is interesting to note that there is a high probability that we all have similar descendants. The fact that all humans have similar descendants’ is proof that the different practices and beliefs are simply due to cultural decisions (Wade). Moreover, it is interesting to note that Christianity was at one point not divided since there was only Catholicism. Protestant churches grew out of the desire to protest the practice of buying indulges provided by the Catholic Church. Luther King began protestant reformation because he was opposed to the idea that a man could buy their time from purgatory with money (Khan).
Part 3
Religion is a set of beliefs and practices held by a particular group. Religion offers those who follow it a path to reconnection with their maker. Moreover, I believe that religion offers hope and the courage to carry on with life when faced with difficulties. Magic is an elaborate lie. It is not possible for magic to exist since every magical experience is developed by humans. Science is the ability to explain occurrences and why things exist in the manner they do through observation and experiments. I would believe in science because one follows an elaborate process to arrive at the results.
Works Cited
Wade, Davis. The world wide web of belief and ritual. Ted Talk. February 2008. Retrieved from < https://www.ted.com/talks/wade_davis_the_worldwide_web_of_belief_and_ritual?language=fa>
Khan Academy. Introduction to the protestant reformation, setting the stage, part 1. N.d. Retrieved from < https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/renaissance-and-reformation/protestant-reformation/v/protestant-reformation-1>.